State: Alleged child killer is a danger
Defense counsel in the bail application of Lesiba Kekana, accused of killing his four children, objected to the State’s submission that if the applicant was released on bail he would kill state witness and commit suicide.
Defence advocate Moraka Rameetse disputed the claims by the State that Kekana would pose a danger to State witnesses and told the Magatle periodic court on Thursday that Kekana had received counselling.
Key state witness told court that Kekana made threats and executed them, and that the court should not undermine the fact that he orchestrated his crimes.
Kekana was arrested on September 6 after he was linked to the deaths of his four sons who were found with throats, floating in a pool of blood at their home in Moletlane near Polokwane.
He is accused of killing his four sons, aged 13, 10, six and four, after he told his wife Lorraine over the phone to say her final words to them, before making suicide threats.
It is alleged that he made the youngest boy narrate to his mother how his elder brothers had been killed. The couple’s family had reportedly tried to reconcile the pair.
Investigating officer Warrant Officer Kedibone Mathemela told court that after the alleged killing, Kekana had told police that he did not have a reason to live and wanted to kill himself.
“He told me that he wanted to commit suicide because he had killed innocent children,” Mathemela told the court in opposing bail.
But Rameetse said the submission was not reliable since Kekana had received counselling while he was in hospital, where he was treated for neck injuries.
Police said Kekana was rushed to hospital after he allegedly attempted to commit suicide shortly after the killing of his children.
It emerged during the bail hearing that Kekana had made several attempts to kill his wife and children prior to the September murders.
Mathemela said he was afraid that if Kekana were to be granted bail, he would complete what he had threatened to do.
He said Kekana had carried out his threat to kill his children and this meant that he was safer in prison than outside.
He also expressed the fear that the victims’ mother could become a target once again and said she deserved to be protected in the interest of justice.
The court postponed the application to November 12 to allow the State to tender additional evidence.